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Crysbelle Lopez Professor Lynda Haas Writing 37 October 28, 2013 The Truth Behind the Horror-Zombie Genre What is the true meaning of genre and why are particular texts and films categorized in these specific categories? This is a question very few of us really know how to answer. When watching a romantic movie or reading a science fiction book, people do not seem to place their main focus on evaluating the reasons why the film or the book were classified as fitting into their known genres. There is more than the obvious scenery in a film or text that help classify it into the genre they represent. When looking at genre through the process of rhetorical analysis, we are clearly able to figure out and distinguish the characteristics that give shape to those genres we know (Palmquist 16). The purpose of genre is to help us establish a relationship between various forms of text and as a result of this help us define different and organize social situations so that we know how those situations work (Palmquist 16). To better explain how this works, let us place our focus on a specific film, 28 Days Later. The film, directed by Danny Boyle, revolves around a group of survivors who try to find refuge from the catastrophic outbreak of a deadly rage virus in London. It received great reviews from the general teenage audience it was destined to impress and it was classified as the reboot for zombies. This particular British film has been recognized to fall into numerous types of genres. According to Karina Wilson in her article Horror Film History, the genres in which this particular film is classified include classical horror and zombie apocalyptic sub genre. Horror films are known to

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be marked by the presence of monsters of either a supernatural or sci-fi origin (Carroll 52). It is this particular convention, along with many others common and unique conventions, which help classify the film 28 Days Later into the horror-zombie genre it currently represents. There are many typical horror-zombie genre conventions that the film 28 Days Later incorporates throughout its whole presentation. One commonly known convention that is present in the film is the establishment of the plot in an eerily abandoned setting. The plot of this particular film takes place in a desolated British, London. The isolated setting is first seen by the audience at the start of the film when Jim, the main protagonist, wakes up from a coma 28 days after the rage virus has hit the city. The main purpose behind the directors and film writers use of isolated settings is to create an eerie sensation within the audience as well as in the characters being portraying in the film. Their main objective is to create suspense within the audience to the point in which they begin to have no hope in the survivors ever finding refuge from the virus. It is typically through the use of diegetic sounds the film directors introduce these isolated scenes into the film. At the start of the film, the scene in which Jim is found roaming around through the desolated streets of London is accompanied by monotonic music. It creates a sense of desperation and hopelessness within the audience. Another scene in the film in which this particular event is present is when Jim, along with Frank, Selena, and Hannah arrive to Manchester City in hopes of finding refuge. Instead, they arrive to a deserted location with no signs of survival in sight. This particular scene is also followed by eerie music, creating desolation and loss of hope within the characters and audience. Something, on the other hand, that distinguishes this film from other horror-zombie films is the fact that the authority figures in this particular film are not there to help citizens coupe with

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the catastrophic event occurring in their city, they are mainly focused on raising their hopes of survival. It is common for other typically horror-zombie movies to incorporate authority figures such as cops and army soldiers to help those citizens in search of safety and refuge from the terrific events occurring around them. In this particular film, however, the real threat doesnt seem to come from the zombies themselves, but from human-on-human (Wilson 9). Frank, Selena, Jim, and Hannah all go in search of refuge in Manchester City after hearing a radio broadcast from that particular location offering any survivors shelter and a cure for the virus. Upon arriving everything seems to be good, the soldiers provide the Jim, Selena, and Hannah a place to stay in and food. The soldiers have other malicious intentions they want to satisfy first in return for their safety. The authority figures are not interested in the safety of the civilians, they want to raise their chances of survival. In connection to the desolation these soldiers have encountered while living in the mansion on their own, they too began to lose hope. They began to feel like they were the last humans left to do the hardships of repopulating the city for the sake of human civilization. With the appearance of Jim, Selena, and Hannah, they knew that their hopes of survival were still at grasp. They manipulated the survivors into believe they would be safe in their hands, when in reality they found themselves in greater danger than being face to face with the zombies themselves. In conclusion, this genre has helped us reflect on how manipulation all around us is slowly taking a toll in the order that is current established in our society. In the film 28 Days Later, we see how easily one can fall into the traps of others. We come to know the hard wa y that sometimes it is best for us to stand alone and do what you believe is right then follow a multitude of people who is doing the complete opposite. This particular genre shows us how many people would go to desperate measures just to keep their hopes of survival at grasp. The

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real danger is not the monsters we are left to confront with, its the monsters we become when all hope begins to fade away.

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Work Cited Page 1. Carroll, Noel. The Nature of Horror. Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 46.1( Autumn, 1987): 51-59. Print. 2. Palmquist, Tira. The Anteaters Guide to Writing & Rhetorics. Hayden-McNeil Publishing, Plymouth, Mi. 2013. 3. Wilson, Karina. Horror Movies in the 2000s: 28 Days Later. Horror Film History. Mediaknowall, 2008. Web. 25 Oct. 2013.